Rivlin distributes computers to youngsters from lower income backgrounds

• Author: GREER FAY CASHMAN
• Published date: 07 January 2021
• Date: 07 January 2021
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Even if all the difficulties that accompany long-distance learning were to be resolved, there is still the problem of youngsters from lower socio-economic backgrounds who do not have access to a PC, laptop or tablet. There is no way that such children can benefit from distance learning, and they are the ones who will suffer the greatest gaps in their education.

In October, President Reuven Rivlin visited Mitchashvim, a national initiative that aims to close the digital gap for those children who do not have any kind of digital device at home.

Mitchashvim collects, upgrades and re-distributes computers that have been discarded by business enterprises, institutions and organizations. The recipients are students who live in the geographic periphery, and who come from economically distressed families.

Rivlin, together with Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, Keren Hayesod (United Israel Appeal) world chairman Sam Grundwerg, and Shelly Dvir, deputy CEO of BR, the socio-economic forum established by Mitchashvim, hosted an outdoor event at the President's Residence on Thursday to distribute the upgraded Mitchashvim computers to some half-dozen youngsters from different schools around the country as representatives of all the recipients. Rivlin personally presented the 5,000th upgraded computer.

Himself a grandfather several times over and aware of what his grandchildren are experiencing, Rivlin told the...